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Why Ali (a) named his sons Abubakr, Umar & Uthman?? Truth:

Question: 

 Shia claims that the first and second caliphs attacked the house of Fatima (may God be pleased with her), while we all know that Ali (may God bless him and grant him peace) has named several of his children after the caliphs (who are alleged to have been Fatima’s killers). This shows that the caliphs are free from such slanders. Does anyone name his children after his wife’s killer?

Summary:

 

Short answer:

 
Naming Abu Bakr:

First: If the Amir al-Mominin (PBUH) was to name his son after Abu Bakr, he would have chosen Abubakr’s original name (Abd al-Ka’bah, Atiq, Abdullah, etc., plus the existing differences) and not his nickname
Secondly: Abu Bakr was the nickname of the son of Ali (as) and the choice of the nickname for individuals is not exclusive to the father of the child; Rather, the person himself chose his nickname according to the events that took place in his life.
Thirdly: According to a saying, Amir al-Mominin (PBUH) named this son of him ‘Abdullah’, who was 25 years old at Karbala battle. Abu al-Faraj Isfahani writes:

قتل عبد الله بن علي بن أبي طالب، وهو ابن خمس وعشرين سنة ولا عقب له.
Abdullah bin Ali, 25, was martyred in Karbala.
الاصفهاني، أبو الفرج علي بن الحسين (متوفاي356)، مقاتل الطالبيين، ج 1، ص 22.

Therefore, the year of Abdullah’s birth was at the beginning of Imam Ali’s caliphate, when he had the sharpest criticism of the previous caliphs.

Naming Omar:

Firstly, one of Omar’s habits was to change people’s names, and according to Omar’s personal historians, Omar gave him this name and became known by that name
Blazeri writes in Ansab al-Ashraf

وكان عمر بن الخطاب سمّي عمر بن عليّ بإسمه.
‘Omar ibn al-Khattab named Ali’s son after his own name, ‘Omar
📚 Al-Balazari, Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Jabir (d. 279 AH), Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 297
البلاذري، أحمد بن يحيي بن جابر (متوفاي279هـ)، أنساب الأشراف، ج 1، ص 297. 📚 
 

Dhahabi writes in Siar Alam Nubala:

ومولده في أيام عمر. فعمر سماه باسمه.
He was born during Omar’s lifetime, and Omar chose his own name for him
الذهبي، شمس الدين محمد بن أحمد بن عثمان، (متوفاي748هـ)، سير أعلام النبلاء، ج 4، ص 134، تحقيق: شعيب الأرناؤوط، محمد نعيم العرقسوسي، ناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة – بيروت، الطبعة: التاسعة، 1413هـ.
Sir al-‘Alam al-Nabla ‘, vol. 4, p.134
Omar ibn al-Khattab has also changed the names of other people in history, of which we mention only three:
 
1. Ibrahim ibn al-Harith with Abd al-Rahman
عبد الرحمن بن الحارث…. كان أبوه سماه إبراهيم فغيّر عمر اسمه.
.His father named him Abraham; But Umar changed it and left Abdul Rahman
Al-isaba fi tamyiz Sahaba, vol. 5, p. 29
العسقلاني الشافعي، أحمد بن علي بن حجر أبو الفضل (متوفاي852هـ)، الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة، ج 5، ص 29، تحقيق: علي محمد البجاوي، ناشر: دار الجيل – بيروت، الطبعة: الأولي، 1412 – 1992.
 
2.Al-Ajda ‘Abi Masruq with Abd al-Rahman
الأجدع بن مالك بن أمية الهمداني الوادعي… فسماه عمر عبد الرحمن.
Omar ibn al-Khattab changed the name of Ajda ibn Malik to Abdul Rahman
Al-isaba fi tamyiz Sahaba, vol. 1, p. 186 , n:425
العسقلاني الشافعي، أحمد بن علي بن حجر أبو الفضل (متوفاي852هـ)، الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة، ج 1، ص 186، رقم: 425، تحقيق: علي محمد البجاوي، ناشر: دار الجيل – بيروت، الطبعة: الأولي، 1412 – 1992.
 
 
3. Tha’albah ibn Sa’d by Moali
وكان إسم المعلي ثعلبة، فسماه عمر بن الخطاب المعلي.
The original name of the Moali was Tha’lba, which changed its life and left a Moali
Al-Ansab, vol. 1, p. 250
الصحاري العوتبي، أبو المنذر سلمة بن مسلم بن إبراهيم (متوفاي: 511هـ)، الأنساب، ج 1، ص 250.
 
Secondly
Ibn Hajar in his book Al-Asaba, chapter “Mentioning the name of Omar”
names twenty-one of the companions whose name were Omar:
 
1. Omar ibn al-Hakam al-Salmi;
2. Omar ibn al-Hakam al-Bahzi; 
3. Omar ibn Sa’d Abu Bakr al-Anmari;
4. Omar bin Saeed bin Malik; 
5. Omar ibn Sufyan ibn Abd al-Asad;
6. Omar ibn Abu Muslim ibn Abd al-Asad; 
7. Omar ibn Akramah ibn Abu Jahl;
8. Omar ibn Amr al-Lithi;
9. Omar ibn Umayr ibn Uday; 
10. Omar ibn Umayr is not attributed;
11. Omar ibn Awf al-Nakha’i; 
12. Omar ibn Lahaq; 
13. Omar ibn Malik; 
14. Omar ibn Mu’awiyah al-Ghazairi; 
15. Omar ibn Wahb al-Thaqafi; 
16. Omar bin Yazid Al-Kaabi; 
17. Omar Al-Aslami; 
18. Omar Al-Jami; 
19. Omar Al-Khathami;
20. Omar Al-Imani. 21. Omar bin Al-Khattab.
العسقلاني الشافعي، أحمد بن علي بن حجر أبو الفضل (متوفاي852هـ)، الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة، ج4، ص587 ـ 597، تحقيق: علي محمد البجاوي، ناشر: دار الجيل – بيروت، الطبعة: الأولي، 1412 – 1992.
Al-Ansab, vol. 4, pp. 587-597

Were these namings all due to their love to the second caliph?!

 
Naming Othman:
First of all
Imam Ali (PBUH) naming his son Othman, was neither due to the similarity to the name of 
the3rd Caliph, nor his interest in him. Rather, as the Imam (PBUH) said
he chose this name because of his interest in ‘Uthman ibn Maz’un’
 
إنّما سمّيته بإسم أخي عثمان بن مظعون
I named my son after my brother Uthman bin Mazoun
الاصفهاني، أبو الفرج علي بن الحسين (متوفاي356)، مقاتل الطالبيين، ج 1، ص 23.
Maqatil attalibin a, vol. 1, p.23
 
Secondly 
Ibn Hajar Asqalani mentions twenty-six companions whose names were Othman. 
 
Is it possible to say that all these names were beause of the third caliph whether before him or after him?
 
1. Othman bin Abu Jahm Al-Aslami; 
2. Othman ibn Hakim ibn Abu al-‘Uqs; 
3. Othman ibn Hamid ibn Zuhair ibn al-Harith; 
4. Othman bin Hanif Balmahl; 
5. Othman ibn Rabi’ah ibn Ahban; 
6. Othman ibn Rabi’ah al-Thaqafi;
7. Othman bin Saeed bin Ahamar; 
8. Othman ibn Shamas ibn al-Sharid;
9. Othman ibn Talhah ibn Abu Talha; 
10. Othman ibn Abu al-‘As; 
11. Othman ibn Amir ibn Amr; 
12. Othman ibn Amir ibn Mu’tab;
13. Othman bin Abdul Ghanem;
14. Othman bin Obaidullah bin Othman; 
15. Othman ibn Othman ibn al-Sharid; 
16. Othman bin Othman Al-Thaqafi; 
17. Othman ibn Amr ibn Rafi’a;
18. Othman bin Amr Al-Ansari;
19. Othman ibn Amr ibn al-Jumuh; 
20. Othman ibn Qais ibn Abu al-‘As; 
21. Othman bin Mazoun;
22. Othman ibn Mu’adh ibn Othman; 
23. Othman bin Nofal Zam;
24. Othman bin Wahb Al-Makhzoumi; 
25. Othman al-Jahani; 26. Othman bin Affan.
العسقلاني، أحمد بن علي بن حجر أبو الفضل الشافعي، الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة، ج 4، ص 447 ـ 463، تحقيق: علي محمد البجاوي، ناشر: دار الجيل – بيروت، الطبعة: الأولي، 1412 – 1992.
Al-isaba fi tamyiz Sahaba, vol. 4, pp. 447-463

 

Detailed answers

 
1. No name (except the names of Allah the Almighty) is exclusive to one person; Rather, sometimes a name was chosen for many people who were known by the same name, and there were no restrictions on this among the tribes and nations; Therefore, names such as Abu Bakr, Omar and Othman have been common names that many people of the time of the Prophet and his companions and companions, as well as the companions, friends and companions of the Shiite Imams have been known by the same names, such as:
 
Abu Bakr Hadrami, Abu Bakr Ibn Abu Musaak, Abu Bakr Ayash and Abu Bakr Ibn Muhammad are the companions of Imam Baqir and Sadegh (PBUH). Omar ibn Abdullah Saghafi, Omar ibn Qays, Omar ibn Mu’ammar, one of the companions of Imam Baqir (PBUH). And Omar ibn Aban, Omar ibn Aban Kalbi, Omar ibn Abu Hafs, Omar ibn Abu Sa’ba! Omar ibn Azina, Omar ibn Bara, Omar ibn Hafs, Omar ibn Hanzala, Omar ibn Salma, etc. are among the companions of Imam Sadiq (PBUH).Othman Aami Basri, Othman Jabala and Othman Ibn Ziad are among the companions of Imam Baqir (PBUH), and Othman Asbahani, Othman Ibn Yazid, Othman Nawa, among the companions of Imam Sadegh (PBUH).
 
2. There is no doubt that the Shiites have had and still have a strong hatred of Yazid ibn Mu’awiyah and his ugly deeds; But at the same time, we see that among the Shiites and the companions of the Imams (PBUH) there were those whose name was Yazid; like:
Yazid ibn Hatim, one of the companions of Imam Sajjad (PBUH). Yazid ibn Abd al-Mulk, Yazid Saigh, Yazid Kanasi, one of the companions of Imam Baqir (PBUH); Yazid al-Sha’r, Yazid ibn Khalifa, Yazid ibn Khalil, Yazid ibn Omar ibn Talha, Yazid ibn Farqad, Yazid Molly Hakam from the companions of Imam Sadiq (PBUH).
Even one of the companions of Imam Sadegh (PBUH), his name was Shamar Ibn Yazid.
إبن بطال البكري القرطبي، أبو الحسن علي بن خلف بن عبد الملك (متوفاي449هـ)، شرح صحيح البخاري، ج 9، ص 344، تحقيق: أبو تميم ياسر بن إبراهيم، ناشر: مكتبة الرشد – السعودية / الرياض، الطبعة: الثانية، 1423هـ – 2003م.
Sharh Sahih Bukhari Vol.9,P.344
 
Al-Ayni writes in ‘Umdatul Qari’
وكان عمر رضي الله تعالي عنه كتب إلي أهل الكوفة لا تسموا أحدا باسم نبي وأمر جماعة بالمدينة بتغيير أسماء أبنائهم المسمين بمحمد حتي ذكر له جماعة من الصحابة أنه أذن لهم في ذلك فتركهم.
 
العيني، بدر الدين محمود بن أحمد (متوفاي 855هـ)، عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري، ج 15، ص 39، ناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت
 
4. The name of one of the Companions is “Omar ibn Abu Muslim al-Qurashi” who was the adopted son of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) from Ummu Salma. 
Howdo you certainly say that naming his son as Omar was not rather, due to the love to this adopted son of the Messenger of Allah?
 
5. According to Sheikh Mofid, the name of one of the son of Imam Hassan (PBUH) was Amru.
Is it possible to say that this naming was due to the similarity to the name of Amr Ibn Abdud or Amr Ibn Hisham (Abu Jahl)?
Al-Irshad fi marifa hujaj Allah,Vol.2,P.20
الشيخ المفيد، محمد بن محمد بن النعمان ابن المعلم أبي عبد الله العكبري، البغدادي (متوفاي413 هـ)، الإرشاد في معرفة حجج الله علي العباد، ج 2، ص 20، باب ذكر ولد الحسن بن علي عليهما ، تحقيق: مh9ل البيت عليهم السلام لتحقيق التراث، ناشر: دار المفيد للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع – بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الثانية، 1414هـ – 1993 م.
6. According to what is stated in Sahih Muslim from the saying of Omar ibn al-Khattab, the opinion of Imam Ali (PBUH) towards Abu Bakr and Omar was that they were liars, sinners, deceivers and traitors, he addressed Ali (PBUH) and Abbas says:
فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلي الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنَا وَلِيُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلي الله عليه وسلم- فَجِئْتُمَا  تَطْلُبُ مِيرَاثَكَ مِنَ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ وَيَطْلُبُ هَذَا مِيرَاثَ امْرَأَتِهِ مِنْ أَبِيهَا فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلي الله عليه وسلم- « مَا نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ ». فَرَأَيْتُمَاهُ كَاذِبًا آثِمًا غَادِرًا خَائِنًا وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَصَادِقٌ بَارٌّ رَاشِدٌ تَابِعٌ لِلْحَقِّ ثُمَّ تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَنَا وَلِيُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلي الله عليه وسلم- وَوَلِيُّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَرَأَيْتُمَانِي كَاذِبًا آثِمًا غَادِرًا خَائِنًا.
After the death of the Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace), Abu Bakr said: I am the successor of the Messenger of God. Abu Bakr said: The Messenger of God said: We do not inherit anything, what remains is charity and you introduced him as a liar, a sinner, a deceiver and a traitor, while God knows that Abu Bakr is truthful and religious. And he was a follower of the truth. After the death of Abu Bakr, I became the successor of the Prophet and Abu Bakr, and again you two called me a traitor, a deceitful liar, and a sinner
Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, p. 1378, p. 1757
النيسابوري، مسلم بن الحجاج أبو الحسين القشيري (متوفاي261هـ)، صحيح مسلم، ج 3، ص 1378، ح 1757، كِتَاب الْجِهَادِ وَالسِّيَرِ، بَاب حُكْمِ الْفَيْءِ، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، ناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت.
“And in the narration that exists in Sahih Bukhari, Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) considers Abu Bakr as a “tyrant”
 
 
وَلَكِنَّكَ اسْتَبْدَدْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِالْأَمْرِ وَكُنَّا نَرَي لِقَرَابَتِنَا من رسول اللَّهِ صلي الله عليه وسلم نَصِيبًا.
 You overpowered us by force, and we deserved more to be in the caliphate because of our closeness to the Holy  Prophet (PBUH) 
Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4, p. 1549,
البخاري الجعفي، محمد بن إسماعيل أبو عبدالله (متوفاي256هـ)، صحيح البخاري ج 4، ص 1549، ح3998، كتاب المغازي، باب غزوة خيبر، تحقيق: د. مصطفي ديب البغا، ناشر: دار ابن كثير، اليمامة – بيروت، الطبعة: الثالثة، 1407هـ – 1987م.
And in another narration, the Shaikhain (Abubakr and Omar) themselves have narrated that Imam Ali (PBUH) did not even like to see the face of Omar for a while:
 
فَأَرْسَلَ إلي أبي بَكْرٍ أَنْ ائْتِنَا ولا يَأْتِنَا أَحَدٌ مَعَكَ كَرَاهِيَةً لِمَحْضَرِ عُمَرَ.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 4, p. 1549, H 3998
البخاري الجعفي، محمد بن إسماعيل أبو عبدالله (متوفاي256هـ)، صحيح البخاريج 4، ص 1549، ح3998 كتاب المغازي، باب غزوة خيبر، تحقيق: د. مصطفي ديب البغا، ناشر: دار ابن كثير، اليمامة – بيروت، الطبعة: الثالثة، 1407هـ – 1987م.
 
With such sharp stances of Imam Ali (PBUH) against the caliphs, can it be claimed that he named his children after them because of his interest in the caliphs??!
 

7. Sunnis claim that these names were all chosen due to the good relationships of Imam Ali (PBUH) with the caliphs. If so, why did the caliphs not choose the names of Hassan and Hussein, who were also the children of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, for their children?

 

Can friendship be one-sided??!

 
Conclusion:
 
The names of the children of Imam Ali (PBUH) do not indicate a good relationship between him and the un-rightly Caliphs, and it cannot be used to deny the martyrdom of Lady Fatima, peace be upon Her.